Over 650 Russian scientists and science journalists have signed an open letter calling Russia’s war against Ukraine “unfair and senseless” and stating that there is no “rational justification” for the invasion, which began in the early hours of 24 February.

The Kremlin’s decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine triggered new sanctions from Europe and the US, and has also cast a doubt over several scientific collaborations with Russia, particularly in space.

Following the invasion, scientists in Russia swiftly circulated the letter, which was then published on TrV-Nauka – an independent Russian science news site.

The letter states that having unleashed war, Russia has “doomed itself” to international isolation and to the position of a “pariah country”.

“This means that we, scientists, will no longer be able to do our job normally: after all, conducting scientific research is unthinkable without full cooperation with colleagues from other countries,” the letter states, adding that the isolation would result in further “cultural and technological degradation” of Russia with the war with Ukraine representing a “step to nowhere”.

“We respect Ukrainian statehood, which rests on really working democratic institutions,” the letter states.

“We treat the European choice of our neighbours with understanding. We are convinced that all problems in relations between our countries can be resolved peacefully.”

The letter ends by calling for an “immediate halt” to the operation against Ukraine.

“We demand respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state,” the letter states. “We demand peace for our countries.

"Let’s do science, not war!”

Space programmes

Russia’s increasing international isolation could also impact international collaborations.

Following the announcement by US president Joe Biden of a tranche of new sanctions, NASA issued a media release stating that it was continuing to work with all international partners, including the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos, for the “ongoing safe operations” of the International Space Station.

“The new export control measures will continue to allow US-Russia civil space cooperation,” the release continued.

“No changes are planned to the agency’s support for ongoing in orbit and ground station operations”.

Roscosmos director Dmitry Rogozin took a similarly measured line, noting on Twitter that “NASA confirmed its willingness to continue to cooperate with Roscosmos” before adding that “we continue to analyse the new US sanctions to detail our response”.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Thursday, however, the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson questioned the future of scientific collaborations with Russia.

“I’ve been broadly in favour of continuing artistic and scientific collaboration,” noted Johnson.

“But in the current circumstances, it’s hard to see how even those can continue as normal.”

Several European-led missions are scheduled to be launched via Russian-built rockets later this year or in 2023.

The Rosalind Franklin rover, previously known as the ExoMars rover, is currently scheduled to take off in September from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan via a Proton-M rocket.

Designed to seek out evidence of past life on Mars, it is a joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and Roscosmos.

The orbital dynamics of Earth and Mars mean that launch windows only open for a short period every two years, to take advantage of the two planets’ closest approach to one another.

The rover’s launch has already been delayed from 2020 to 2022 amid parachute and electronics difficulties and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

If it launches in September, it would reach Mars by April 2023 at the earliest, but additional postponements could mean a further two-year delay.

ESA is also expected to launch the €500m Euclid mission via a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 2023 from Kourou in French Guiana.

Euclid is designed to explore the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter, using a 1.2 m diameter telescope, a camera and a spectrometer to plot a 3D map of the distribution of more than two billion galaxies – a view that will stretch across 10 billion light-years, revealing details of the universe’s structure and its expansion.

ESA director general Josef Aschbacher took to Twitter to say he is “sad and worried as the aggression continues to worsen in Ukraine” and that they are continuing to monitor the “evolving” situation.

“Civil space cooperation remains a bridge,” noted Aschbacher. “ESA continues to work on all of its programmes, including on ISS & ExoMars launch campaign, in order to honour commitments with member states & partners”.

He adds that ESA member states will take “any decisions needed”. “But for now, support for our missions & colleagues continues until further notice.”

Meanwhile, the Germany Federal Ministry of Education and Research, BMBF, noted that it is to stop all science and research collaboration with Russia, as well as vocational education and training.

International decisions

The Russian invasion is also having an impact on international meetings.

The International Congress of Mathematicians 2022 (ICM) is currently scheduled to be held in St. Petersburg from 6-14 July, but several mathematical societies have called for the International Mathematical Union (IMU), which is responsible for the event, to cancel.

The London Mathematical Society, for example, says it no longer plans to send delegates to the ICM.

“The Society strongly recommends that the IMU not hold the ICM in Russia in July 2022,” it noted in a statement.

“The IMU has been approached by several societies and individuals who raise serious and understandable concerns about the consequences of the conflict for the ICM,” the IMU said in a statement.

“The executive committee of the IMU is now assessing the situation, and will make a decision as soon as possible regarding how to proceed.

"We will communicate this decision to our members once it has been made without delay.”

Source: https://physicsworld.com/a/russian-scientists-condemn-ukraine-invasion-as-international-projects-and-meetings-thrown-into-doubt/

And the fall of Putin begins

I don't even understand what they are saying.

Finland is next Soviet union is coming back

The irony is that even a hustler in Mushin
Is 20 times living better than a Nigerian stuck in ukraine right now...

Im in 9ja in my sitting room, smoking weed, enjoying myself, fucking oloshos, playing ps4
I look at my Tv BBC, i see blacks in ukraine being pushed out of train.

Omo, nothing is better than HOME.
No matter how fcked up 9ja is
1. We dont have bombs falling on us 24 hours
2. We dont have to hide in underground metro for safety
3. We can move freely in the street
4. We have food even if na mama put
5. We dont have a super power military Russia attacking shooting and bombing us left,right center. We can manage boko but Russia military is far more deadly than boko.

Las las,na all these indomie generation that have never in their life experience war in real life. Not even Biafra war Are here saying Ukraine is better than Nigeria. I laugh in japanese.

Don't worry millions of Russian scientists that know what is at stake if Ukraine join Nato are supporting president Putin

Damn it

May peace be restored

Putin is been isolated more and more...

Good.....but our own over sabi Nigerians especially on nairaland here think otherwise.

All these noise makers here supporting Putin I hope yhu will all soon see how empty and baseless yhu all have sounded soon.

Empty vessels disturbing our cyberspace with their useless noise, people that can't even think out a little solution to the problems facing their own country Nigeria; they will come here and be typing rubbish acting all wise and smart.....nonsense noise makers.

When it's all over, we shall all see what becomes of PUTIN.

Hmmm

TechTack:
And the fall of Putin begins

you are listening to western propaganda!!!! The evil ones are that of western countries are the devils themselves!!!

When your profession are busy building nuclear warheads to increase Putin ego then, y'all were found wanting then.

Mossadd:
G

talk better thing with this space ooo

Even Russians faulted their government but some weird Nigerians keep praising Russians invasion just to spite America. How callous!

What has Ukraine done wrong other than wanting to protect itself, if you really think America deserves to be punished why don't you gather yourself for punitive expedition against America and leave Ukraine out of it.

..

Yea

jcross19:
you are listening to western propaganda!!!! The evil ones are that of western countries are the devils themselves!!!

Na so. It was Biden that ordered an invasion. Get off my mention joor

Propaganda

Nice one

If Russian intellects think it was a stupid idea, I wonder y fools from Nigeria, esp nairaland think otherwise.

Na you wan fall am
Where were you guys when Obama and Bush destroyed:
Libya
Iraq
Syria
Afghanistan

TechTack:
And the fall of Putin begins

Things are going as planned,just like the EUs/NATO wanted

seunny4lif:

Na you wan fall am
Where were you guys when Obama and Bush destroyed:
Libya
Iraq
Syria
Afghanistan

Of course. Muslims who have chronic hatred for US. Get lost

TechTack:



Na so. It was Biden that ordered an invasion. Get off my mention joor

And this is not invasion

mrvitalis:

And this is not invasion

Ofcourse. Muslim, Christian hater. Get lost